Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,892, issued Sep. 7, 1999
This invention relates to cinches that pass beneath the belly of an animal such as a horse, mule, llama, etc. to secure a riding saddle or pack frame on the animal.
Riding saddles for people and pack frames to carry loads have long been secured to animals using cinches that extend from the saddle or frame beneath the belly of the animal and that are then pulled tight to secure the saddle or frame in place on the animal. The cinch must be pulled sufficiently tight that when a person sits on the saddle or a load is tied to the frame the saddle or frame will not slip, turn on the animal and discharge the rider or load during movement of the animal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,232 discloses a cinch that provides greater comfort, as compared to the usual leather or canvas strap cinches previously used, for an animal on which the cinch is secured. It has been found, however, that the cinch of U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,892 has sewn seams and connected edges that will chafe an animal. Further, the manner in which the cinch of the aforesaid patent is constructed makes the cinch more expensive to construct than is desired.
Principal objects of the present invention are to provide an improved cinch that will be more comfortable to an animal on which the cinch is used and to provide a method of making such a cinch that significantly reduces the production cost of such a cinch.
Principal features of the invention include a method of construction of a cinch that includes heat stamping an elongate animal engaging strap from a suitable foam material such that a durable, smooth skin is formed on one animal contact surface of the animal engaging strap and flexure grooves separating curved edge lands are formed between adjacent grooves on the contact surface. Flanges are molded at opposite sides of the elongate animal engaging strap and securement means are sewn or otherwise secured to the flanges to hold a buckle strap in place against the other face of the animal engaging strap. The securement means is folded over the seam formed by connection of the securement means to the flanges of the animal engagement strap so that no exposed seam is presented to engage and chafe an animal with which the cinch is used. Opposite ends of the animal engaging straps are formed to accommodate buckles at opposite ends of the buckle strap.
The securement means may comprise overlapping flaps to extend over the buckle strap and to be secured together along their lengths. In another embodiment, the securement means may comprise an elastic sleeve into which the buckle strap is inserted.
Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains from the following detailed description and drawings, disclosing what is presently contemplated as being the best mode of the invention.